This invention relates to computer and communications systems, and more particularly to using an Internet browser to place an intelligent telephone call.
The Internet and the World Wide Web are rapidly expanding, with individuals using the World Wide Web for increasing numbers of activities, such as searching for contact phone numbers for individuals and businesses which has traditionally been done manually using white and yellow pages or operator services. Once located, the web user can sometimes leave a return phone number via the web page or email for the individual or business. However, current systems do not provide an automated, interactive and immediate real-time call connection capability for the web page user to the individual or business.
In the telephony domain, commercial products are available which use an intelligent interactive telephony interface to place a caller on hold while the system places an outcall to the called party to see if the called party wishes to speak in real-time with the caller. If the called party desires to complete the conversation, the calls to the two parties are bridged/conferenced together. Otherwise, the caller is told that the called party is unavailable and some other call answer functionality is offered (e.g., the ability to leave a message for the called party). However, such systems do not interface to the Internet or World Wide Web.
According to the present invention, an automated method and apparatus are provided for placing an intelligent telephone call using an Internet browser. This xe2x80x9cpersonal receptionistxe2x80x9d server system includes an interactive personal call handling agent server function which provides a call answer interface for callers who attempt to contact the called party via a web browser on the Internet. The Internet web browser caller is presented with a web page particular to the called party (and possibly specific to the caller and time of the call), which displays whatever the called party has decided to present to the caller. In an embodiment, the called party has provided to the personal receptionist server system a set of possible xe2x80x9creach mexe2x80x9d numbers where the called party may be found at a particular point in time. The web page interface offers the caller the option to enter their name and a call back number and a selection button which reads xe2x80x9cFind Me.xe2x80x9d
Upon entry of the required name and call back number information and the selection of the xe2x80x9cFind Mexe2x80x9d button, the web page instructs the caller to xe2x80x9cplease wait while I attempt to reach . . . xe2x80x9d The Java applet technology (using RMIxe2x80x94Remote Method Invocation) implementation of this web page then goes to the personal receptionist server database to access the called party""s currently active xe2x80x9creach mexe2x80x9d numbers and places one or more outcalls to attempt to reach the called party. If the system is successful in finding the called party, the text entered name of the caller is presented to the called party using interactive voice response technology (i.e., text to speech), and the server will ask the called party whether to conference a voice call with the caller. If a conference with the caller is desired the web page will be updated to display xe2x80x9cplease answer your phone, I have your party on the linexe2x80x9d and the call back number will be rung to set-up the conference between the caller and called party. Alternatively, a telephonic call to the caller will be placed using Internet Protocol (xe2x80x9cIPxe2x80x9d) audio streaming technology (e.g., Lucent Technologies elemedia(trademark), RealNetworks RealAudio(trademark)). If the called party is not found or if the call is rejected, the web page will display something like xe2x80x9cyour party was not reachable . . . xe2x80x9d and other alternate call answer options will be displayed (e.g., message drop, call redirection, information presentation).
Embodiments of the present invention include computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method of the present invention, and a computer system having a processor and memory and performing a method of the present invention. An embodiment of the method of the present invention provides for connecting in real-time an originating communications device of an originating caller to a destination communications device of a destination caller.
An embodiment of this method can be performed comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a call request entered via a web page, the call request including a destination identification of the destination caller or destination communications device; (b) calling the destination communications device based on the received destination identification; (c) calling the originating communications device; and (d) bridging the calls to the destination and originating communications devices.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of receiving and authenticating an identification code of the destination caller before performing the step of bridging the calls. In an embodiment, the method step (b) further includes receiving a call completion request. In an embodiment, method further comprises the step of (e) receiving an originating identification of the originating caller or the originating communications device; and step (c) is performed based on the received originating identification.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of (e) retrieving, from a personal receptionist server configuration database and based on the received destination identification of the destination caller, a destination telephone number of the destination communications device. In an embodiment, the received destination identification of the destination caller identifies a group of callers, and step (e) further includes selecting one of the identified group of identified callers based on a predetermined criteria.
In an embodiment, method step (c) is performed using audio streaming technology. In an embodiment, method step (b) is performed using audio streaming technology.
An embodiment of the present invention provides for a personal receptionist server for connecting in real-time an originating communications device of an originating caller to a destination communications device of a destination caller based on a call request entered via a web page, the personal receptionist server comprising: network interface means for receiving the call request; personal receptionist server means for processing the call request; destination telephone interface means for placing a telephone call to the destination communications device; interactive voice response means for determining whether the destination caller will accept a telephonic call from the originating caller; originating telephone interface means for placing a telephone call to the originating communications device; and call completion means for connecting the telephonic calls to the originating and destination communications devices.
In an embodiment, the personal receptionist server means includes a computer system and personal receptionist software. In an embodiment, the network interface means includes a local area network interface device and communications protocol software. In an embodiment, the destination and originating telephone interface means and the call completion means includes a public switched telephone network interface device and associated control software. In an embodiment, the originating telephone interface means includes audio steaming technology. In an embodiment, the personal receptionist software includes remote applet services software. In an embodiment, the remote applet services software includes Java RMI technology.
Embodiments of the present invention include computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method of the present invention, and a computer system having a processor and memory and performing a method of the present invention. An embodiment of the method of the present invention provides for connecting in real-time an originating communications device of an originating caller to a destination communications device of a destination caller, wherein the method comprises the steps of (a) receiving a call request entered via a web page, the call request including a destination identification of the destination caller or destination communications device; (b) initiating a page to the destination caller based on the received destination identification; (c) receiving a call from the destination communications device; (d) calling the originating communications device; and (e) bridging the calls from the destination communications device and the call to the originating communications device.